Previews

Halo 2 Multiplayer Maps

We go hands-on with four new maps that are being released on Xbox Live next week!

Spiffy:

Getting to play new maps is always a good thing; certain maps have been designed with particular gametypes in mind.

Iffy:

Will people want to pay now, or will they wait until the maps are free in a few months?

Halo 2 has been on or near the top of the Xbox Live charts since its release last November, but even its most ardent fans would agree that it's starting to feel a bit stale. Sure, the action is still great, and Bungie's done a great job of changing the gametypes in its matchmaking system, but the lack of downloadable material has given the multiplayer aspect of the game that no-so-fresh feeling. Pete Parsons, Bungie's Studio Manager, put it best when he said, "Once you create a living, breathing organism online, you've got to keep feeding it." Aside from getting a few minor updates (and the Foundation map), the Halo 2-playing denizens of Live have been going hungry. That's all about to change, however, as Bungie gets set to release four brand-new maps next Monday.

We got a chance to check out the new maps last week in Bungie's office in the Microsoft Games Studio in Seattle, and they made us fall in love with Halo 2 all over again. The new maps will be available for download on Live next week, and they'll be included in a retail release later this summer. For now, two of the maps, titled Warlock and Containment, will be free to everyone, while Sanctuary and Turf will cost $5.99 (that's for both, not for each one). Some gamers might balk at paying for the maps, and they'll be happy to know that they will become free when the second batch is available in June. However, when you think about it, you'll be able to get an awful lot of enjoyment out of that 6 dollars.

Although the maps are brand-new, I got the feeling that I had seem them somewhere before. This was mostly due to the fact that several of the maps were designed to feel like they were situated just outside of the action in the single player game. Turf, for instance, takes place in the bombed-out ruins of Old Mombasa, which is where the Master Chief downed the Covenant Scarab, while Containment is set on Delta Halo. You might feel like you've been there before, but you'll quickly realize that it's a completely new experience. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the new maps, starting with one of the biggest in the Halo universe.